Terry Stringer: Some New Sculpture

Terry Stringer is a leading New Zealand sculptor and a key figure in the history of New Zealand art. Working predominantly in bronze, the majority of Stringer’s sculptures depict figures and still-life subjects. His signature works have become synonymous with high profile public sites throughout New Zealand. Stringer’s works explore themes of power, gender and co-dependence, often revealed through classical and literary allusions. Fundamental to his practice is the tension between reconciling three dimensional representations on two dimensional planes in sculptural form.

“To gain a sense of the object in three dimensions has led to me changing the image, as seen by the viewer moving around the sculpture. I am showing that idea in this exhibition, but more recently I have approached the figure sculpture somewhat differently.

A new treatment I have adopted is to carve into the surface so as to overlay another subject. This is like adding a background to a picture, in that it adds context. Another idea I am showing is to compress two subjects into the space of one. These need to be discovered, and how they relate their story, by investigation.”

– Terry Stringer 2018